Dr Hector Perera

Most people waste energy in careless cooking then pollute the environment

by Dr Hector Perera – London

If anyone could save around 60% energy every time they cook rice and curries would you think it is a good idea? If I am not mistaken majority of Sri Lankans eat rice and curries on daily basis as the main meal, some people eat rice and curries for lunch and supper. In those cases if those people could save that much energy such as gas and electricity in cooking their main meals, I think that is a great saving.…

The general public should know whether my SCIENTIFIC ENERGY SAVING COOKING can apply to some other kinds of food. I showed only energy saving cooking of rice and chicken only to SIRASA TV just a day before Vesak in 2014 on a live programme. I have to understand that some people cook far too many kinds of food on daily basis other than chicken curry and rice. One of the reasons, why I chose to cook chicken is because it gives out more curry smell while cooking. I demonstrated how to avoid any smell depositing while cooking. The smell in the air cannot be stopped but my method avoids any deposition of smell on the person who cooks then saved about 60% energy. The programme was live broadcasted.…

Apply science in energy saving and avoidance of smell depositing while cooking.

Dr Hector Perera London

Cooking or cookery is the art, technology and craft of preparing food for consumption with the use of heat. Food contains nothing but complicated organic chemicals so I think cooking is a huge chemical reaction and interaction with heat. Asians add spice ingredients in cooking dishes such as chicken, beef, lamb and even some vegetable dishes. Again these spices have far too many complicated chemical structures to mention right here but if you need some examples cinnamon have about 20 chemicals and chilies have 15 chemicals. I can go on to give the number of chemicals even in cardamom, cloves and nutmeg but I am sure this is enough for the time being. It dependents how much of each ingredient is added for a certain weight of chicken, lamb or beef. Some people like them hot some like them mild so one has to be careful in adding ingredients qualitatively and quantitatively. Once you add the required ingredients including curry leaves, lemon grass and ginger then they must leave that to a side for some ingredients to get adsorbed then then get absorbed. This process is called marinate. I have seen some so called experienced chefs in British TV shows, just add ingredients while they are allowed to boil and steaming. That is the time those chefs get showered with ingredients so they walk up and down like tandoori chicken. Who would agree that is a correct step in cooking.…

Most of Sri Lankan type of food can be cooked by saving nearly 60% energy

by Dr Hector Perera: London

Direct heat cooking is applied mainly in Asian type of cooking such as rice and curries. One of my concern is to find out how to save in energy and to stop any cooking aroma getting on them while cooking. If the people are not really careful in saving energy in cooking, they have to pay for whatever the energy they used, apart from that they pollute the atmosphere with polluted gases. Back home in Sri Lanka they used firewood stoves in cooking but now things have changed for better with modern facilities such as with modern gas and electric cookers, ovens and with extractor fans. They cannot use any more firewood stoves unless they are in remote areas or in villages because now they live in apartments. Unlike in villages the people who live in apartments have all compact in a small area. I know our mum had a large house in a huge coconut land and kitchen was at the end of the house because the visiting “kussi amma” used nothing but firewood in cooking. One must see to believe me, sometimes the smoke gets filled in the kitchen even when smoke escaped from the overhead chimney. In some houses they have something called “Atuwa” just above the firewood stoves where they store dry fish and spices then sometimes they stack cooking vessels to dry.…

Some say frying red chillies is good for stress release because it makes you sneeze, cough out yellow stuff from the chest and throat then tears drooling from the eyes and many more.

By Dr Hector Perera: London

I received lots of emails from Sri Lanka then from other countries as well after watching my energy saving cooking programme in Sirasa TV in Sri Lanka. They all appreciated my attempt to save energy and to avoid any smell depositing on them while cooking. I replied to many then one University graduate from Matara Sri Lanka also send me an email after watching my energy saving cooking in Sirasa TV. She said that she followed my method to cook in order to save energy and avoid any smell depositing while cooking.

I replied to them, glad you all understood the fact that I didn’t open the chicken curry like most Sri Lankan ladies do. One of them mentioned that at least 5 to 6 times they open the boiling chicken curry and kept on stirring. Not that they wanted a secret aroma beauty therapy but they keep on opening and stirring for no obvious reason.

Why they lick hot hot “Hodi” many times

Heat is lost in three ways, convection, conduction and radiation. The material of the cooking pan absorb some heat then pass it on to the contents inside the pan. The convection currents inside the cooking pan and that will bring the heated liquids from the bottom to the top and give the heat to the contents. No need to keep on stirring and licking the “HODI FROM POLKATU HANDA” several times unless you want to shower with cooking aroma then walk up and down like a TANDOORI CHICKEN. These chemicals like any other chemicals cannot be seen but once they deposit on any cold surface they give out a special smell like I said before. Those clay pots are bad conductors of heat and have less thermal capacity that means do not retain any heat for a long time whereas stainless steel are good conductor of heat and have a good thermal capacity. I admit that our mum also cooked in clay pots but the time has changed. May be I didn’t explain all these terms in the Sirasa TV cooking programme at that time.

British TV chef are really funny

I really want to help these British people as well how to save energy but didn’t get the chance to appear in TV, never mind keep on trying. Believe me no British TV chef cooks like me saving energy. To me they just waste energy, chat chat unwanted things, out of the topic of cooking subjects then bath in fumes, sometimes they let the cooking pan catch fire purposely. May be they wanted the public attention that way, to me that is not energy saving cooking.

Baking cannot save any energy

Some British TV cooking programmes are mainly devoted for baking cakes and the judges are handsomely paid just to taste those cakes. If I am not mistaken all what the judges do is to taste the cakes. I think their judgements depend on the decorations as all the taste of cakes are the same as they are all made out of nothing but sugar. The so called bakers or who content for the titled of baker, mix sugar, flour, butter then baking soda then bake them in an oven. While it bakes some of them kneel down and virtually bow at the oven, is that necessary? Once you put the cake into the oven there is nothing much to do, cannot adjust the flame like in cooking other than waiting them to get baked.

Cooking rice

Try not to measure the depth of water in the pan by fingers, that time is gone. Put two tea cups of water from a tea cup for one cup for one cup of rice. Better to let the water get warmed while you wash the rice then put the rice into the warm water that way you even save five minutes of waiting time in the kitchen. Make sure rice is washed properly to get rid of the outer soluble starch. Within five minutes it will boil and give out froth then shut the gas completely. Then start again but keep the flame minimum. If you got it right then steam must come out like small jets of steam, no over flowing. Too difficult to get it right at first time but try. Note the time then after an half an hour just off the gas and leave it like that, don’t open it for at least 15 minutes because the steam is unsettled. I call it due to high entropy that is a scientific term. Let’s do one at a time.

Other smelly stress releasing things to cook

Please let me know if you got it right then I will tell you know how to cook chicken or fish curry. I really like “KARAWALA TEL DALA” but no smell deposit on me when I cook scientific way. How about “FRYING HAAL MESSO”. Then frying dry red chillies? You must be releasing your stress by sneezing several times then comes the drool from the nose, am I correct? I will show how to do without that mess, how by applying science to cooking. That means I make use of the thermal capacity of the hot oil so that the dry chillies absorb that heat. By the way you need to fry some “papadams” first at low heat then shut the heat and leave it for three minutes then only you add those chillies. Take my word, no smell, you will not drool from the nose then no sneezing either.

Laughing therapy in India

Did you know in India they have a stress releasing therapy called laughing therapy? Similarly most Sri Lankan ladies release the stress by frying dry chillies because that makes you sneeze several times, then comes yellow stuff from the chest and throat then you need to spit out. It does not stop there, then comes tears drooling from eyes then you need to sneeze again and then you need to clean the nose by blowing the nose, am I correct? Most people just wipe those snot and many more on their clothes including “Kussi amma” as they don’t carry tissue, do they? Don’t believe me? Never mind, I hope my work helped you to save about 60% energy in cooking rice. I really need to demonstrate again how to cook and save energy and stop any smell depositing while cooking. Just imagine if five millions of people saved that much energy on every time they cooked rice, how much money would they save per month then for an year? Please let me know how it worked then take it from there. Your comments are welcomed perera6@hotmail.co.uk

Eggs and Diabetes, to Eat or Not to Eat ?

Dr Hector Perera London

Eggs can be fully boiled or half boiled in water or better make omelettes because it taste better. Eggs are a versatile food and a great source of protein, and the American Diabetes Association considers eggs an excellent choice for people with diabetes. That’s primarily because one large egg contains about half a gram of carbohydrates, so it is thought that they aren’t going to raise your blood sugar. We know the fact, eggs are high in cholesterol and still people eat them on regular basis. One large egg contains nearly 200 mg of cholesterol, but whether or not this negatively affects the body is debatable.

Monitoring your cholesterol is important if you have diabetes because diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This can be easily done at the hospital with a blood test at the diabetic section. High levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream also raise the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. So it’s important for anyone with diabetes to be aware of and minimize other heart disease risks. The best thing is to get blood test done on regular basis.

Benefits of eating eggs

A whole egg contains about 7 grams of protein. The eggs are very nutritive as they are also an excellent source of potassium, which supports nerve and muscle health. Potassium helps balance sodium levels in the body as well, which improves your cardiovascular health. Eggs have many nutrients, such as lutein, which protects you against disease, and choline, which is thought to improve brain health. It’s possible not many people thought about these points.

What about egg yolk?

Egg yolks contain biotin, which is important for healthy hair, skin, and nails, as well as insulin production. Eggs from chickens that roam on pastures will be high in omega-3s, which are beneficial fats for diabetics. Back in Sri Lanka they call them, “Gam Kukulo” but now many are factory farmed or sometimes raised in cages that is very cruel. Eggs are easy on the waistline, too. One large egg has only about 75 calories and 5 grams of fat, only 1.6 grams of which are saturated fat. Eggs are versatile and can be prepared in different ways to suit your tastes. You can make an already-healthy food even better by mixing in tomatoes, spinach, or other vegetables or adding onions, green chilies and tomatoes then with a dash of pepper then not forgetting any curry leaves.

Diabetes-friendly breakfast recipes

As healthy as they are in so many ways, eggs should be consumed in moderation. Cholesterol concernsThe role of dietary cholesterol as it relates to a person’s total blood cholesterol count appears to be smaller than previously thought. Family history may have much more to do with your cholesterol levels than how much dietary cholesterol is in your food. The bigger threat to your cholesterol levels is food that is high in trans-fats and saturated fats.

What are trans-fats?

There are two broad types of trans-fats found in foods: naturally-occurring and artificial trans-fats. Naturally-occurring-trans fats are produced in the gut of some animals and foods made from these animals (e.g., milk and meat products) may contain small quantities of these fats. Artificial trans-fats (or trans-fatty acids) are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid.

What is Margarine?

Margarine was created in the early 1800s as an inexpensive substitute for butter. Early margarines were made from animal fat. In the 1900s, chemists discovered how to harden liquid oils and vegetable oil replacing animal fat. Margarine is a manufactured, vegetable-oil-based substitute for butter.

How is Margarine Made?

Margarine is manufactured through a multi-step process. Vegetable oils are extracted from corn, cottonseed, soybeans or safflower seeds. Hexane, an organic compound commonly used as a solvent, is used in the extraction process.

The oil is steam cleaned to remove most impurities. Steaming also destroys vitamins and antioxidants.

Hydrogen gas is bubbled through liquid oil in the presence of a catalyst (usually nickel). This force unsaturated fatty acids to become saturated and solid. The more complete the hydrogenation process, the firmer the finished product. Margarine undergoes partial hydrogenation, to make it semi-solid. Partial hydrogenation produces a lumpy grey grease and results in the formation of trans-fats.

Emulsifiers are added to remove lumps; bleach to remove the grey colour.

A second steam cleaning removes chemical odours.

Synthetic vitamins, artificial colours and a natural yellow colour are added. The final product is packaged as a healthy alternative to butter.

The primary dietary source for trans-fats in processed food is “partially hydrogenated oils.” Look for them on the ingredient list on food packages. In November 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils are no longer Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in human food.

Artificial trans-fats can be formed when oil goes through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil more solid (known as hardening). This type of fat, known as hydrogenated fat, can be used for frying or as an ingredient in processed foods. Artificial trans-fats can be found in some processed foods such as biscuits and cakes.

Artificial trans-fats can be formed when oil goes through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil more solid (known as hardening).

Are trans-fats bad for you?

Consuming a diet high in trans-fats can lead to high cholesterol levels in the blood, which can cause health conditions such as heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. However, most people in UK don’t eat a lot of trans-fats.

Should I worry about trans-fats?

Trans-fats, like most saturated fats, raise blood cholesterol levels, particularly levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. Trans-fats can also reduce the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, as well as increase levels of another form of blood fat called triglycerides. All of these effects of trans-fats can raise your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Gram for gram, trans-fats appear to increase risk of CHD more than saturated fats, and so are potentially worse for our health.

Which foods contain trans-fats? Naturally-occurring trans-fats are found in small amounts in dairy products, for example cheese and cream, and also beef, lamb and mutton, and products made from these foods. All trans-fats may be potentially unhealthy, no matter what their origin, but if they are present or consumed at low levels, they are unlikely to have a significantly harmful effect. Trans-fats may also be produced when ordinary vegetable oils are heated to fry foods at very high temperatures and this is one reason why takeaway foods can sometimes be high in trans-fats. Even at home try and avoid high temperature frying and cooking. Foods that are produced from or use hardened vegetable oils as an ingredient typically contain some trans-fats (for example, biscuits, pies, cakes and fried foods). Fat spreads and margarines that have hydrogenated vegetable oil as an ingredient will usually contain some trans-fats, although reformulation has led to significant reductions in recent years.

The effects of high cholesterol on the body

Eggs still shouldn’t be consumed in excess if you have diabetes, must know the limits. The current recommendations suggest that an individual with diabetes should consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol each day. Someone without diabetes or heart health concerns may consume up to 300 mg a day. One large egg has about 186 mg of cholesterol that means maximum of two eggs per time. Remember then there isn’t much room for other dietary cholesterol once that egg is eaten.Research suggests that high levels of egg consumption may raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. While the connection isn’t clear, researchers believe that excessive cholesterol intake, when it comes from animal foods, may increase those risks.

Since all of the cholesterol is in the yolk, you can eat egg whites without worrying about how they’re affecting your daily consumption of cholesterol. Many restaurants offer egg white alternatives to whole eggs in their dishes. You can also buy cholesterol-free egg substitutes in the stores that are made with egg whites.Keep in mind, however, that the yolk is also the exclusive home of some key egg nutrients. Almost all the vitamin A in an egg, for instance, resides in the yolk. The same is true for most of the choline, omega-3s, and calcium in an egg.

Scrambled? Poached? Hard-boiled?

However you like your eggs prepared, try to eat up to three of these versatile wonders each week to take advantage of their protein and carbohydrate benefits. Remember, the healthier the hen, the healthier the egg. Aim for eggs from organic, pastured or free-roaming hens such as from “Gam Kukulo” for an increase in heart-healthy omega-3 fats. If you’re concerned about cholesterol, lower your intake or use egg whites.

So what’s for breakfast?

If you have diabetes, you should limit egg consumption to three a week. If you only eat egg whites, you can feel comfortable eating more. Be careful though, about what you eat with your eggs. One relatively harmless and healthy egg can be made a little less healthy if it’s fried in butter or unhealthy cooking oil. Poaching an egg in the microwave only takes one minute and doesn’t need any additional fat. Likewise, don’t serve eggs with high-fat, high-sodium bacon or sausage very often. Most people just eat eggs and bacons for breakfast.

A hard-boiled egg can be a handy high-protein snack if you have diabetes. The protein will help keep you full without affecting your blood sugar. Protein not only slows digestion, it also slows glucose absorption, which is very helpful if you have diabetes. Having lean protein at every meal and for the occasional snack is a smart step for anyone with diabetes. Just as you’re getting to know the carbohydrate and sugar content of various foods, you should also pay attention to the cholesterol levels and saturated fats in your food. Your comments are welcomed perera6@hotmail.co.uk

Some people say chicken skin is healthy to eat and some disagree

Dr Hector Perera London

In health point of view one must remove the outer skin because it contains oil that has cholesterol which is not healthy to eat all the time. Cholesterol is supposed to block the arteries and why do we eat that purposely? There are two types of cholesterol, bad and good ones. Cholesterol is a substance found in the blood. It is made in the liver and is needed for healthy cell membranes. However, too much cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of heart disease, and of diseased arteries.

Good and bad cholesterol

The bloodstream transports cholesterol around the body attached to proteins. The combination of cholesterol and protein is called lipoprotein, and there are two types.Low-density lipoproteins – LDLs – carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells.

LDLs are often called ‘bad’ cholesterol because they lead to fat building up on artery walls, which causes heart disease. HDLs are often called ‘good’ cholesterol because they help to stop fat building up in the arteries.…

Chickens cause serious infections in humans so watch out!

Dr Hector Perera London

When you walk down your high street, you might see different kinds of little shops such as grocery, vegetable and butcher shops. Have you not noticed that in some butcher shops they hang chickens, pieces of beef and lamb just above the counter just like that for hours? Who would say that any kind of meat should be left hanging in the air open to air than in the fridge or freezer? I think sometimes they leave these pieces of meat and chicken for hours without fridge or freezer condition. Now who would say this is hygienic and safe to eat?

Raw chicken

Raw chicken becomes contaminated with bacteria from the gut, skin and feet of the birds during slaughter and from the water and ice used in processing. It says, chilling the carcass immediately after slaughter reduces the number of microbes on most meats because it dries the surfaces. However this has less effect on chickens because their skin can stay moist. The raw chicken is stored at a low temperature which reduces the rate at which bacteria reproduce. Eventually cold-loving microbes such as Pseudomonas will cause spoilage, making the meat smelly and slimy. Other factors which affect the rate of spoilage are pH and the type of packaging.…

Some health benefits of bitter melon or “Karawila”

Dr Hector Perera London

In places like Sri Lanka, one can get hold of plenty of fresh vegetables in local food fairs or at “Pola”. They have these food fairs in nearly every town, usually once a week. Sunday food fairs are very popular and massive. Not only vegetables but dry fish as well are sold in these places. In a way this is just like a meeting place for some people. I found there is a one even in Buller’s road and sometimes they call “Jatika Pola”. Now there are plenty of super markets where you find all these vegetables among other things.

Why British TV chefs prefer under cooked red meat, are they healthy?

Dr Hector Perera London

There are plenty of cookery shows in British TV showing cooking so many different varieties of nutritious dishes but sometimes the chefs finish red meats virtually uncooked. They sometimes touch the piece or the lump of meat with finger tips while cooking and to me this is not quite acceptable way to cook. They do not let the piece of meat to cook long enough, sometimes toss it around in the air a few times then say “it’s cooked” but when cut to eat, it shows the red in the centre that means uncooked meat.…

A group of female inmates who were protesting on top of the roof of the Welikada Prison are reported to have taken to the Prisons Headquarters for a discussion with a higher official of the Prisons Department, sources said.

At least 22 people were killed when a motorway bridge collapsed in torrential rains on Tuesday morning over buildings in the northern Italian port city of Genoa, and the deputy transport minister said the death toll would rise.